The Jammu & Kashmir High Court has issued a stern warning to the state's Tourism Minister, indicating that any further delay in complying with court orders regarding the payment of dues to a deceased contractor may result in contempt proceedings against him.
The case pertains to the late Mohammad Afzal Reshi, who had been awaiting payment for work completed in 2015. Despite a prolonged period of 15 years, his rightful dues remained unsettled. In a prior order dated September 4, 2024, the court had imposed exemplary costs of ₹9 lakhs on the contemnors, in addition to the principal amount owed to the deceased contractor.
During the proceedings, counsel representing the contemnors informed the court that the Tourism Minister was occupied with an ongoing session and had not yet signed the necessary documents to facilitate the payment. The court, however, rejected this explanation, emphasizing that the petitioner had been awaiting his dues for over a decade and a half. The bench, comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Puneet Gupta, stated:
"The prayer of the counsel is rejected as the petitioner has been waiting for the past 15 years for the release of his just dues."
The court further directed that the necessary actions be completed before the next hearing date. Failure to do so would result in the Tourism Minister being added as a respondent in the contempt proceedings for obstructing the implementation of court orders. The court's directive underscored the urgency of compliance:
"The needful should be done before the next date of hearing, failing which the court shall be at liberty to make the minister concerned as contemnor no. 4 on the next date of hearing for causing hurdles in the compliance of court orders."
On a previous occasion, the court had granted the contemnors five days to file personal affidavits explaining why the contempt petition should not be upheld. Additionally, the court had ordered that the amount specified in its September 4, 2024, order be deposited with the Registrar Judicial by March 12, 2025.
This development highlights the judiciary's commitment to enforcing its orders and ensuring that governmental authorities fulfill their obligations without undue delay.
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